Combined Guidance for Returning Officers at Local Government and Police and Crime Commissioner Elections in England

As local government Returning Officer, you are responsible for printing ballot papers for the local government elections. 

You are responsible for printing the PCC ballot papers for your voting area unless the PARO gives you notice that they will take on this responsibility.1 You should liaise with the PARO on the production of the PCC election ballot papers at an early stage.

By law, ballot papers for postal voters and for polling station use must be the same in design and size, except that the official mark may be different if desired.2   

You should ensure that you check with your print supplier at an early stage to establish the maximum size of ballot paper that they can print and, if necessary, have contingency arrangements in place in the event that a larger ballot paper is required.

The final content of the ballot paper cannot be confirmed until nominations have closed, but you will need to make decisions about the following elements of the ballot paper specification at an early stage:

• the format of the ballot paper numbers
• the form of the reverse of the ballot paper
• the unique identifying mark
• the design of the ‘official mark’
• what colour the ballot papers will be